These ingredients are used because they specifically target certain types of plants. Therefore, they are often found in selective weed killers as they shouldn’t kill of grass or other vegetation that they’re not intended for.

Systemic Weed Killer: These weed killers are slower to act than the 2 mentioned above, they work by inhibiting hormones or hormone disruption. There taken up by the foliage of plants and then work there way into a plants root system. It can take a couple of weeks before plants are killed off with this type of weed killer. Which Weed Killer Should You Buy ? Mecoprop-p – good at controlling knotweed and clover as well as other broadleaf weeds before they have reached maturity. Stopping Protein Production: The most common method is by the weed killer affecting a plants ability of amino acid synthesis. This is amino acid synthesis is a vital element in a plant’s growth and health, without it, it will die. Glyphosate the chemical found in Gallup and RoundUp works in this way. Different Types Of Weed Killer Explained In terms of wildlife protection, there seems to be a pretty similar consensus. There isn’t a lot of concern for mammals and birds – Glyphosate levels won’t rise the level to cause problems for these two groups of animals, but this may not be the case for some other species: Pelargonic acid is the most commonly found active ingredient in organic weed killers. It’s a naturally occurring acid in geraniums. This acid is generally considered effective at controlling the growth of smaller broadleaf weeds (under 15 cm tall).Weed Killers should only be used on dry days when no rain is expected for at least the next 6 hours after application. Finally, look out for a weed killer that comes with a pressure sprayer to make application easier . Some weed killers will need diluting which can be time consuming; however, they often work out cheaper. Like many off-the-shelf weed killers, it contains glyphosate. While this is strong enough to kill weeds, it’s also strong enough to harm pollinators and pond life. Having said that, treated areas can be replanted 7 days after application, which isn’t bad going for a weed killer. Prevent weed seeds from germinating by using a weed killer that stays in the soil. This will stop weeds from growing, but will also stop any other plants from germinating as well. Alternatively, residual weed killers will stop all plants from germinating, and non-selective weed killers will kill everything they encounter . Therefore, these are best used on patios or highly weed-ridden areas.

On the plus side, the fact that this product isn’t left in the ground means that the treated areas can be sown or planted again relatively soon after using the product. MCPA – stands for ‘2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid’ and is used to keep broadleaf weeds like thistle at bay. It’s important to note that the chemicals in most weed killers are not as effective during warmer temperatures. The formulation uses no harsh chemicals such as glyphosate or bleach making it ideal for use on most hard surfaces that means that the non-staining formula can be used to clear weeds and moss from patios, driveways, tarmac, concrete, sandstone and more. Organic and BiodegradableIt seems to work best in hot, dry weather, and certainly shouldn’t be applied when rain is forecast for the same day; the longer the weed killer stays on the weeds, the more effective it will be. READ NEXT: How to Clear a Garden Full of Weeds Ingredients Commonly Found in Selective Weed Killers This weed killer is very effective, destroying weeds at the roots within 2 weeks. The smell alone is enough to indicate that it’s exceptionally powerful, so while it is very effective, a lot of care needs to be taken during use. It worked on all the weeds I treated it with.